Jorge Masvidal Cops Gave Colby Covington Special Treatment ... During '22 Altercation

Jorge Masvidal says he ain't getting a fair shake in his aggravated battery case ... claiming in new court documents, obtained by TMZ Sports, that Colby Covington received preferential treatment from cops during their altercation in Miami last year.

In the docs, Masvidal says he has evidence that on several occasions during their confrontation on March 21, 2022, outside of a popular restaurant ... Covington was treated with "favoritism" by the Miami Beach Police Department.

Specifically, Masvidal says after the alleged attack ... Covington did not call 911 -- but instead phoned a high-ranking MBPD sergeant who was the UFC star's "pal and training partner ... so he could receive concierge police intervention."

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THE AFTERMATH
TMZSports.com

Masvidal claims after Covington called the sergeant, the officer then radioed the matter into the station as a "Code 3" -- which, according to Masvidal, is "reserved for shooting and active dangerous felonies." Masvidal also says the sergeant "made additional calls to individual officers to 'get over immediately' to the scene" -- while also diverting "over 20 officers from their duties and responsibilities" to make sure they got Covington help.

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911 AUDIO

In addition, Masvidal says Covington made a statement during a podcast interview prior to the street encounter that he "rolls with the Miami Beach Police Department" -- which Masvidal claims further proves he may have gotten special treatment on the night of the alleged attack.

Masvidal's attorney, Bradford Cohen, now wants several things -- including Covington's podcast comment -- to be admitted into evidence for the UFC fighter's impending trial in the case ... believing it will help prove his client is getting a raw deal.

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HOLD ME BACK
TMZSports.com

"From our investigation and witness depositions it's clear that protocol was not followed that evening and Mr. Covington received preferential treatment," Cohen said in a statement this week. "Sadly, the people of Miami Beach that needed an officer that night, at that time probably suffered due to over 15 officers responding to a misdemeanor offense."

We've reached out to the Miami Beach Police Department for comment -- but so far no word back yet.

As we previously reported, Masvidal is facing serious jail time in the case after he was hit with charges of felony aggravated battery and felony criminal mischief following allegations that he punched Covington twice in an ambush outside of Papi Steak.

Meanwhile, Covington -- who claims to have suffered a brain injury, a chipped tooth, and a damaged Rolex watch in the attack -- appears to have recovered from the altercation ... as he's been rumored to be the next opponent for UFC welterweight champion Leon Edwards.

The next hearing in Masvidal's case has been set for early May.

Guess Who This Lil' Singing Star Turned Into!

Before this little singer's pipes blew away America (and Simon Cowell), she was just getting all dolled up in her white dress, gearing up for her big solo and growing up in Chicago, Illinois with her sister and brother.

From the American Idol stage to the big screen, this singing machine can also act, and she played the smart and comical assistant to Carrie Bradshaw (played by Sarah Jessica Parker) in "Sex And The City: The Movie."

Need one more hint? She was a "Dreamette" alongside Beyonce and Anika Noni Rose.

Can you guess who she is?

North Korea Fires Ballistic Missile ... Evacuation Order In Japan

A scary situation for the people of Japan, as a North Korean ballistic missile launch resulted in an evacuation order on Japan's second-largest island.

The terrifying scene played out Thursday morning when North Korea fired a missile off the east coast of the Korean Peninsula, headed for the sea off the coast of Japan.

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SOUNDING THE ALARM

Sirens blared in Hokkaido, Japan's northernmost main island, where residents were urged to seek shelter.

"Evacuate immediately. Evacuate immediately," read the initial warning from the Japanese government ... though the Japanese Coast Guard later said the missile had already crashed into the sea.

It's unclear exactly what type of weapon North Korea fired ... and there's no data yet on how far it traveled. Japan is not saying exactly where the missile crashed into the sea either.

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DANGEROUS TIMES
AP

North Korea's been firing a barrage of weapons tests lately, with the latest launch coming on the heels of Kim Jong-Un stressing the need to beef up the country's nuclear arsenal with "increasing speed in a more practical and offensive" manner.

Alarming stuff, to say the least.

Meek Mill Sells Huge ATL House to Rick Ross ... $4.2 Mil, Straight Cash!!!

Meek Mill's unloaded his larger-than-life ATL pad -- and his keys are being handed over to none other than fellow rap legend Rick Ross for a HEFTY chunk of change.

Rick recently picked up the massive mansion for $4.2 mil -- paying cash, no less, for Meek's sweet home. The rapper told his fans the house was on the market for two years before Rick came along.

This 8-bed, 9-bathrom compound is packed to the brim with amenities ... including a tennis court, playground, movie theater and a sauna. It's got the obligatory pool and jacuzzi, too.

For those unaware, Meek had all eyes on him last month when he posted on social media about his crib, looking to speed up the sale ... telling his fans he only had the place for a few years and never officially moved in.

Looks like that move paid off because it's now Rick's less than a month later.

Atlanta luxury realtor Alisha Gillooly repped Rick in the sale ... and she's obviously stoked about the big purchase, telling TMZ, "I've been working to make an impact in the luxury market and this did just that."

Twins' Kyle Farmer Undergoing Surgery To Realign Teeth ... After Hit By Pitch

Minnesota Twins shortstop Kyle Farmer will be spending several unexpected hours in a dentist chair on Wednesday evening ... after he took a 92 MPH fastball to the face earlier in the day.

The scene was terrifying ... in the bottom of the fourth inning of the Twins' game against the White Sox at Target Field in Minneapolis, a heater got away from Chicago ace Lucas Giolito -- and it ended up nailing Farmer right in the mouth.

Video from the game's broadcast shows the 32-year-old immediately crumpled to the ground in pain ... as trainers raced out to tend to him.

Somehow, though, he avoided a broken jaw -- news that Minnesota manager Rocco Baldelli called a bit of "a miracle."

"Thank God we got news that was better than what we were expecting," Baldelli told reporters after the game.

But, Farmer didn't come out unscathed ... Baldelli said his player will need surgery "to realign his teeth and fix a major laceration of the lower jaw."

Farmer had played nearly every day for the Twins this year, batting .226 with a home run and five RBI. It's unclear how much time he'll miss while recovering from the mouth injury.

He did get at least some morale boost Wednesday afternoon following the HBP -- as the Twins ended up beating Chicago, 3-1, while he was getting checked out by docs.

Louisville Bank Shooting 911 Calls from Employees, Shooter's Mom Describe Horror of Mass Shooting

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CRIES FOR HELP

We're now getting more details into the horror that unfolded inside a Louisville bank Monday ... as 911 calls paint a picture of panic and desperation.

The Louisville PD just released a series of calls from the attack, including one from a woman who is absolutely hysterical as she describes watching the shooting from a remote video call. The woman tells the 911 operator she was on a video call meeting with staffers inside the Old National Bank when she could hear gunshots ring out and staffers scramble.

The woman describes in terrifying detail how she witnessed the shooter enter the conference room she was chatting with, as her coworkers were shot.

Another call comes in from a bank employee hiding inside a closet as she bravely gives the operator a description of the shooter, who she recognized as a coworker. The woman is able to remain extremely calm and stay quiet as she provides extremely helpful info to operators.

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CONCERNED CALL FROM MOM

The shooter's mother can be heard on another call, telling 911 she was alerted to her son's alarming behavior by his roommate ... saying he was armed and headed toward the bank. The operator informs her of a situation already happening at the bank, and tells her not to drive toward it.

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the terrifying shoot-out

The calls are sickening, and just another example of the continuous horror everyday people are having to live through as gun violence and mass shootings rip through the country without serious action.

Jeff Bezos Not Bidding On NFL's Commanders ... Months After Meeting W/ Jay-Z

Jeff Bezos won't be the new owner of the Washington Commanders ... the Amazon founder reportedly won't bid on the NFL franchise despite months of interest, and a secretive meeting with Jay-Z.

According to Puck News, Bezos, whose net worth is $120 billion (according to Forbes), is no longer planning to buy Dan Snyder's team ... and barring something changing, JB won't be the team's new owner.

TMZ Sports broke the story ... Bezos and Jay-Z met for a secret meeting in L.A. in November, where we're told they discussed a potential partnership.

Although it won't be Bezos, it's still possible D.C. will have a famous owner. As we previously reported, Magic Johnson is part of a group with 76ers owner Josh Harris and billionaire Mitchell Rales. They reportedly submitted a $6 billion bid to buy the team.

The Lakers Hall of Famer confirmed the news on an episode of "Today" ... saying he's excited the bid is in and hopes Snyder makes the right decision.

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THE BID IS IN
NBC

Magic is no stranger to owning a team ... the five-time NBA champion has a stake in the LA Dodgers, Sparks, and LAFC, the pro soccer team.

Magic's group has some competition, though ... Canadian billionaire Steve Apostolopoulos has also submitted a $6 billion bid, and Houston Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta is also reportedly interested.

'Y&R' STAR KRISTOFF ST. JOHN Daughter Arrested For Indecent Exposure ... Allegedly Naked & Meditating In Store

The daughter of late soap star Kristoff St. John and professional boxer Mia St. John got arrested in Idaho after allegedly stripping down in a supermarket ... and cops say she later tried to escape from jail.

According to the arrest affidavit, obtained by TMZ, cops in Boise were called to a WinCo around 8 PM Monday night for a report of indecent exposure, with a store employee telling police Paris St. John was naked in the store, praying and meditating.

When cops arrived, they say Kristoff's daughter was naked in the store's front office. The woman who called police ultimately convinced Paris to put her clothes back on.

Police say Paris was arrested for indecent exposure and transported to Ada County Jail ... where cops claim she stood up and ran out of the jail's sally port when the door opened for an entering officer.

Cops say they told Paris to stop, but she ignored them and continued fleeing ... with police running after her, grabbing her and bringing her to the ground.

Paris was booked on three misdemeanor charges ... indecent exposure, escape, and resisting or obstructing officers. We're told Paris is currently getting mental health treatment.

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The St. John family has been through a ton of trauma ... Paris' dad died 3 years ago from heart disease triggered by alcohol abuse ... and in November 2014, her brother Julian died by suicide.

Paris' mom, former professional boxer Mia St. John, has been open about the family's mental health struggles ... Mia says Kristoff suffered from bipolar disorder and alcoholism, while Julian suffered from schizophrenia.

Pablo Escobar 'Cocaine Hippo' Killed by Car ... After Crash in Colombia

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SERIOUS ACCIDENT
CEN

An offspring of Pablo Escobar's famed "cocaine hippos" from the 1980s was killed in Colombia ... after getting struck by a car.

The accident went down Tuesday on a highway near Medellín -- not too far from the late drug lord's massive estate, which has since been turned into a tourist hot spot, complete with a zoo and other attractions ... and from where this animal presumably escaped.

Based on reports, it sounds like the driver was cruising along at night, and ran smack dab into the massive beast. The hippo's dead body was laid out on the street in the aftermath ... it's no easy task to remove an animal that size. Amazingly, the driver was unharmed.

Here's a little history for you to help make sense of this. For starters, hippos are not native to South America, but because Pablo smuggled 4 hippos into the country way back when ... they can actually be found on the continent now, especially in Colombia.

The OG hippos (one male and 3 females) have since died, but their many children and grandchildren live on -- apparently, there are now about 150 hippos in and around that area, all courtesy of Pablo's decision.

With so many of them now in the area, these freak accidents are actually somewhat of a regular occurrence in Colombia. There was another crash in December, and the hippo roadkill is creating a national conversation about what the hell to do with the carcasses.

Wild times, indeed.

LOUISVILLE BANK MASSACRE Training, Mindset Helped Hero Cops Take Down Shooter ... Says Retired FBI Agent

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SURVIVING A SHOOTING
TMZ.com

Retired FBI agent Greg Shaffer says hours of training and the right mentality helped the hero cops disarm the man who was shooting up a Louisville bank.

Greg, an active shooter prevention expert with 20 years of experience at the FBI, joined us Wednesday on "TMZ Live," and explained just how difficult it is for police officers to deal with a situation like this, where they can't see the shooter.

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THE TERRIFYING SHOOTOUT

Shaffer says the cops clearly had what he calls a "stop the killing before you stop the dying" mindset ... noting how Officer Cory "CJ" Galloway made a split-second decision to go after the shooter, even though his partner, Officer Nickolas Wilt, had just been shot in the head.

As Greg explains, Galloway did the right thing by taking cover and exchanging gunfire with the shooter ... ultimately taking down the killer, all while knowing his partner was in dire straits.

Greg says Galloway mentally stayed in the fight until the threat was neutralized, then went to aid his partner ... telling us it's textbook police training.

Officer Wilt was only 10 days out of the police academy when he responded to the scene ... and he remains hospitalized in critical condition, fighting for his life.

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CRIES FOR HELP

Greg says cops have to rely on their training when dealing with active shooters ... and he's also got some tips for citizens to survive such horrifying scenarios.

'SNL' Alum Victoria Jackson Drags Homosexuality At City Meeting ... 'It's An Abomination'

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HOMOPHOBIC TIRADE
City Of Franklin

Comedian and former 'SNL' star Victoria Jackson felt the need to drop a TON of white-hot homophobic takes at a local city council meeting -- going off on an obscure tangent about homosexuality before, ironically, calling on people to avoid getting brainwashed.

Citizens of Franklin, Tennessee got their chance to speak at a city meeting Tuesday ... which at one point focused on whether or not the city would hold a Gay Pride Parade this year.

When it's Victoria's turn to take the mic, though ... she starts by bluntly saying God hates homosexuality, among other things -- calling it "an abomination."

She goes on to say God also despises pride, reading a verse from the Bible as proof. Obviously, that word was used as the motto for the LGBTQ+ alliance long after any of that was ever written.

While it might feel shocking, this isn't uncommon for Victoria -- she's been going on homophobic rants for a while now, including in 2011 when she called "Glee" disgusting after they showed 2 men sharing an on-screen kiss.

Since then, most forgot about her 6-year run on 'SNL' -- she instead was known as the self-proclaimed conservative Christian that would bash homosexuality.

BTW -- Victoria ends her town hall speech by telling others to not get brainwashed ... yeah.

Target Security Guard Punches Black Woman in Reparations Fight ... She Wanted $1K in Groceries

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HOSTILE WORK ENVIRONMENT
Blue Ash Police Department

Dramatic new video shows a white male security guard delivering a knockout punch to a black woman, who demanded reparations to cover her $1,000 grocery bill at Target -- and compared herself to Rosa Parks.

Surveillance video and body cam footage, first posted by the Daily Mail, showed security officer Zach Cotter clashing with customer Karen Ivery inside the store in Blue Ash, OH, last October.

As you can see, Cotter got into the middle of a heated argument between a store manager and Ivery, who allegedly asked for reparations to pay her eye-popping bill. Cops say Ivery told the manager she was "owed this" ... referring to the slavery reparations.

Police say Cotter told Ivery she needed to chill or leave the store because she was acting aggressively. Instead, she charged at him, backing him into his office.

That's when Cotter hauled off and socked Ivery in the face, knocking her to the floor. Cotter then called police, who determined he acted in self-defense and Ivery was the instigator.

Ivery was cited for disorderly conduct, served one day in jail and paid a $110 fine.

Ivery told police she wanted to have a larger conversation about "how money works" and "how it's been working in our community in a very wrong way."

She added, "This is my Rosa Parks moment."

Prince Harry Will Attend Charles' Coronation Without Meghan

Prince Harry is going to his dad's coronation next month ... but Meghan Markle won't be with him.

Buckingham Palace broke the news Wednesday, saying they were "pleased to confirm that the Duke of Sussex will attend the Coronation Service at Westminster Abbey on May 6th." They add, "The Duchess of Sussex will remain in California with Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet."

Harry and Meg's rep issued the same statement, FWIW ... so they're all on the same page.

PH's attendance has been the subject of much speculation/intrigue for the past several weeks -- this after King Charles officially sent the invite ... putting the ball in his court.

It's interesting that Meghan is not going. On its face, you could argue it makes sense -- fact is ... their son, Archie, is turning 4 that same weekend (May 6). So, she technically has a good excuse to skip it ... the Coronation and the birthday just happen to fall on the same day.

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CONCERNS ABOUT ARCHIE'S SKIN
CBS

Of course, skeptics might say she doesn't wanna go because of her rocky history with the Royals -- remember, she and Harry have accused them of just about everything under the sun ... from straight-up racism to passive-aggressive mistreatment, it's all been alleged.

One other interesting tidbit ... some reports suggest Harry will not be on hand for the full 3 days of celebration during Charles' big blowout, which will carry on throughout the entire weekend. People Mag, for instance, claims he'll just attend the crowning ceremony itself.

Seeing how Charles is going to be super busy ... you gotta imagine there'll be little to no time for him and his youngest son to properly chat and maybe even reconcile. But, with that said, Harry going at all is certainly a step in the right direction to mend this broken fence.

The saga continues.

For more royal drama, tune into our podcast Spilling Royal Tea, dropping every Thursday wherever you get your podcasts.

Jay-Z Performing For Louis Vuitton ... Promoting Basquiat & Warhol Exhibit!!!

Jay-Z's longtime love for Andy Warhol and Jean-Michel Basquiat is being flipped into a tribute concert for the Louis Vuitton Foundation this Friday ... marking a rare live performance for Hov these days.

Roc Nation made the announcement Tuesday, in French no less, revealing Jay would be performing at the Auditorium of the Fondation in Paris. Yep, fire up that "Watch the Throne" track, stat!!!

Jay's performance is intended to pump LV's “Basquiat × Warhol. Painting four hands” exhibit ... which celebrates the 2 iconic artists' 160 canvas collaborations, and the event is also supported by Tiffany & Co., with which both Jay and Beyonce have brand deals.

Hov has been indexing his rhymes with Warhol and Basquiat bars for decades now ... this show will be nothing short of an avant-garde gala!!!

Kentucky Mass Shooting Killer's AR-15 Will Go Up For Auction

The AR-15 rifle used in the mass killing at a Kentucky bank will soon be hitting the auction block.

You heard it right. Kentucky gun laws are so lax that firearms seized by law enforcement are required to be sold at auction.

There is one caveat ... the firearms can only be bought by federally licensed gun dealers, specifically holding licenses for the weapons they purchase.

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TAKING DOWN THE SHOOTER

Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg blasted the state law at a press conference Monday after Connor Sturgeon murdered 5 employees with an AR-15 at the bank before he was killed by police. Sturgeon had previously been given notice he was going to be fired from the downtown Louisville bank.

Greenberg fumed, "The laws we have now are enabling violence and murder. Think about that: that murder weapon will be back on the streets one day."

He continued, "It’s time to change this law and let us destroy illegal guns and destroy the guns that have been used to kill our friends and kill our neighbors."

Greenberg went on to say that leaders must act immediately to stop the "gun violence epidemic."

Kentucky is one of the most firearm-friendly states east of the Mississippi.

Kentucky has some of the highest gun-related death rates in the country, which some experts attribute to relaxed laws for gun purchases and a lack of training that's required for legally bought firearms.

Universal background checks are also absent in Kentucky, so anyone can buy a gun without leaving a record behind, making it hard for law enforcement to trace the transaction if a crime is committed.

Tristan Thompson & Corey Gamble Kardashian Bros Clubbin' Together ... Celebrate Lakers Victory

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CELEBRATING THE W
BACKGRID

Tristan Thompson's back in the NBA and back in the L.A. club scene with his brother-in-Kardashian/Jenner-dom, Corey Gamble -- they soaked up some nightlife after the Lakers took home a big fat W.

Kris Jenner's bae and Khloe Kardashian's baby daddy headed to Bird Streets Club in WeHo to celebrate Tristan's new team, the Lakers, defeating the Timberwolves to earn a spot in the NBA playoffs. They left together around 1 AM Wednesday ... in a chauffeur-driven Maybach. Nice!

Neither guy had much to say as they exited, but gotta figure they were in good spirits after the W. Shout out to Corey's stylist, 'cause dude was rocking an eye-popping Lakers gold silk leisure suit as he sat courtside.

Tristan didn't see any playing time during his first game back from retirement.

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HAPPY MEAL, HAPPY COUPLE???
TMZ.com

Obviously, playing in L.A. means Tristan's closer to Khloe, too ... and as we reported, the duo's been spending time together recently -- even hitting up a McDonald's drive-thru together.

BTW .. today is Tristan and Khloe's daughter True's birthday -- so, we're guessing he and Corey were hashing out gift ideas last night.

Fun night out for the fellas!